Viral infections of the eye (for example, conjunctiva) are one of the most common conditions seen in clinical practice. Viral infection of the eye may be caused by a variety of viruses. However, herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV) and adenovirus cause the majority of viral infections of conjunctiva. Adenovirus caused conjunctivitis is the leading cause of infectious “pink eye”, a highly contagious disease in adults and children which can result in lost days of school and work. In addition, herpes keratitis, caused by HSV, is a serious infection of the cornea. It is the leading cause of infectious blindness in the United States and one of the leading causes of infectious blindness worldwide.
Currently, there is no topic or oral ophthalmic product approved for broad-spectrum antiviral use. In addition, there is also no satisfactory treatment for posterior ocular condition such as macular degeneration. Therefore, there is an industry need to develop an effective ophthalmic composition for treatment of viral infections of the eye and posterior ocular conditions such as macular degeneration.